Tagesmutter in Frankfurt: The Same Portal as Kita, a Different Kind of Place
Kindertagespflege, care with a Tagesmutter or Tagesvater in a small, home-based setting rather than a center, runs through the exact same registration portal Frankfurt uses for Kita places, kindernetfrankfurt.de, not a separate search tool. You create a profile, browse available Tagesfamilien, and place a Vormerkung (a registration of interest) for the options that fit, and the pedagogical advisor responsible for your district at the Fachdienst Kindertagespflege, part of the city's Stadtschulamt at Solmsstraße 27-37, follows up directly. Every recognized childminder holds a Pflegeerlaubnis, a care permit valid for 5 years, that legally caps them at 5 children present at once, genuinely small-group care by design. On cost, there's genuinely no difference between the two options anymore: since a June 2023 city decision, both recognized childminders and standard Kita in Frankfurt charge no parent fee at all starting from the first of the month your child turns 2, a full year earlier than the age-3 threshold set by Hesse's state-level HKJGB. That free entitlement covers your contractually agreed daily hours, not an automatic full-day place, and separate costs like food and drinks still apply either way. If the fee genuinely doesn't work for your household even after that point, Frankfurt's Sozialrathaus can approve partial or full cost coverage based on income.
The Official Rule
If you’ve researched childcare in another German city before landing in Frankfurt, the first genuinely useful thing to know about Kindertagespflege here is where it isn’t: there’s no separate childminder-search website or agency. Registration runs through kindernetfrankfurt.de, the exact same central portal Frankfurt uses for Kita places. You create one profile, browse available Tagesfamilien (home-based childminders) alongside center-based Kita options, and submit a Vormerkung, a registration of interest, for whichever fits your child’s age and your own logistics.
Once you’ve registered, the pedagogical advisor responsible for your district at the city’s Fachdienst Kindertagespflege, part of the Stadtschulamt at Solmsstraße 27-37, 60486 Frankfurt am Main (phone 069 212-74449), follows up with you directly. This same team also trains, supports, and oversees the childminders themselves, so they’re the actual point of contact throughout, not a call center reading from a list.
| Detail | What applies |
|---|---|
| Registration | kindernetfrankfurt.de, the same portal Kita uses |
| Contact team | Fachdienst Kindertagespflege, Solmsstraße 27-37 (069 212-74449) |
| Provider permit | Pflegeerlaubnis, valid 5 years |
| Maximum group size | 5 children present at once, per provider |
| Fee-free from | 1st of the month the child turns 2 (Kindertagespflege and Kita alike, since June 2023) |
| Hesse HKJGB state-law baseline, for comparison | Age 3, standard; Frankfurt's local rule goes further for both care types |
Photo by Lisa from Pexels on Pexels
Why Families Choose This Over a Kita
Every recognized Kindertagespflege provider in Frankfurt holds a Pflegeerlaubnis, a care permit issued after a qualification course and a suitability review by the Fachdienst, valid for 5 years. That permit legally caps a Tagesmutter or Tagesvater at 5 children present at the same time, which is the structural reason families choose this route in the first place, a genuinely small, consistent group with one primary caregiver, rather than a larger center with rotating staff and multiple rooms.
The Age-2 Fee-Free Rule Applies to Both
Frankfurt’s own Elternentgelte brochure is worth knowing before you compare Kindertagespflege against Kita on cost, mainly because it removes cost as a factor between them. Following a June 2023 Magistrat decision, both recognized childminders and standard center-based Kita charge no parent fee starting from the first of the month your child turns 2, a full year ahead of the age-3 threshold set by Hesse’s HKJGB. Two caveats matter regardless of which setting you choose: the free entitlement covers your contractually agreed daily care time, it doesn’t automatically guarantee a full-day place, and separate costs, most commonly food and drinks (Ess- und Getränkegeld), still apply regardless of your child’s age or setting.
Step by Step
- Create a profile at kindernetfrankfurt.de, the same portal you’d use for a Kita search, rather than looking for a separate childminder directory.
- Browse available Tagesfamilien alongside center-based options and compare based on location, age fit, and your own schedule.
- Submit a Vormerkung for the Kindertagespflege options that genuinely fit, ideally as early as your child’s expected start date allows.
- Expect a follow-up from your district’s Fachdienst Kindertagespflege advisor, who works from Solmsstraße 27-37 and can be reached directly at 069 212-74449 if you haven’t heard back.
- Factor the age-2 fee-free threshold into your timing either way, it applies equally to Kindertagespflege and Kita, so cost won’t be the deciding factor between the two, and remember food and drink costs apply regardless.
- If costs still don’t work for your household, contact your local Sozialrathaus about income-based coverage rather than assuming the standard fee structure is fixed for your situation.
Compliance Note
This page explains the general Kindertagespflege registration process and fee structure in Frankfurt, current as of mid-2026. It is not legal advice, and specific availability, fees, and eligibility for cost coverage depend on your individual circumstances and can change. For your specific situation, confirm current details directly with the Fachdienst Kindertagespflege or via kindernetfrankfurt.de.
FAQ & Common Pitfalls
Is there a separate website or agency just for finding a Tagesmutter in Frankfurt?
No, and this genuinely trips people up who've researched childcare in other German cities first. Frankfurt runs Kindertagespflege registration through kindernetfrankfurt.de, the same central portal the city uses for Kita places. You don't need a second account or a different search tool, you create one profile, browse Tagesfamilien alongside center-based options, and register your interest the same way.
How many children can actually be with one Tagesmutter at the same time?
A maximum of 5 children present at once, a legal cap tied to the 5-year Pflegeerlaubnis (care permit) every recognized Kindertagespflege provider in Frankfurt must hold. That's the structural reason people choose this route over a Kita in the first place, genuinely small, consistent group care with one primary caregiver, rather than a larger center with multiple staff and rooms.
Is Kindertagespflege actually cheaper than Kita in Frankfurt?
Not on the core parent fee itself, not anymore. Since a June 2023 Magistrat decision, both recognized Kindertagespflege providers and standard center-based Kita in Frankfurt charge no parent fee starting from the first of the month your child turns 2, a full year earlier than the age-3 threshold set by Hesse's HKJGB. That free entitlement only covers your contractually agreed daily hours, it doesn't guarantee a full-day place on its own, and separate costs for food and drinks still apply regardless of age or setting. Any real cost difference you'll actually see comes down to your specific provider's fee calculation before your child turns 2, not a structural advantage for one option over the other.
What happens once I register interest through kindernetfrankfurt.de?
The pedagogical advisor responsible for your district at the Fachdienst Kindertagespflege, part of the city's Stadtschulamt at Solmsstraße 27-37, follows up with you directly. This is also the same team that trains, supports, and oversees the childminders themselves, so they're positioned to match your registration against real, currently available capacity rather than just handing you a list.
What if the fee is still too much for our household even after our child turns 2?
If Kindertagespflege costs (or any remaining costs like food and drinks, or care outside your contracted hours) genuinely don't fit your household's income, Frankfurt's Sozialrathaus can approve partial or full cost coverage on an income basis. It's worth contacting your local Sozialrathaus directly to discuss your specific situation rather than assuming the standard fee structure is your only option.